BrokenEye3 t1_iu60d91 wrote
Only to submarines?
KMjolnir t1_iu622cs wrote
Surface vessels would be easier to reach and wouldn't need something that big. Water blocks a lot, and any large surface installation that could reach a sub would be gone. Reaching a nuckear-armed sub, from underground, would require something massive.
voucher420 t1_iu6376h wrote
Like 2/5 of Wisconsin huge?
no_step t1_iu69lmt wrote
It was an ELF, extremely low frequency transmitter. Those radio waves need extremely large antennas and a particular type of soil
[deleted] t1_iu63o89 wrote
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TacTurtle t1_iu6bn25 wrote
It is actually more that the wavelength for extremely low frequency radio requires extremely long antennas for efficient transmission and reception - not an electrical hardware size issue.
Wavelength = speed of light / frequency so as frequency goes down, wavelength (and antenna size) go up.
Subs use a long antenna cable they can extend and tow behind underwater for ULF radio transmission and reception.
Faster transmission with a shorter antenna requires getting closer to the surface for higher freq radio which will not penetrate water as easily.
[deleted] t1_iu6c0lc wrote
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TacTurtle t1_iu6fhd4 wrote
The actual generation and radio equipment could fit in a couple shipping containers or a small building, it is the antenna that is big.
3MW is small enough power you can get them as pre-packaged skid-mounted units like https://www.westernstatescat.com/power-systems/electric-power/gas-generator-sets/cg260-12-2100kw-3000kw3mw-gas-generator-2/
Example: check out this weather radar array - radar is radio broadcast and receive, just at much higher frequency. WSR-88D weather radars for reference are almost 1MW. The Wisconsin ELF was 2.6Mw.
Wurm42 t1_iu6obqj wrote
The extremely-low frequency (ELF) array the Navy eventually built could be used to reach surface ships or land forces as well, but there were easier, more effective ways to communicate with everything but submarines.
DeadForDecember OP t1_iu61jtd wrote
Nuclear submarines
Minnewildsota t1_iu7ptt1 wrote
Nuculear. It’s pronounced nuculear.
cain071546 t1_iu87ci6 wrote
It's Nuclear, Nuculear is not a word. >Nuclear power is the use of nuclear reactions to produce electricity. Nuclear power can be obtained from nuclear fission, nuclear decay and nuclear fusion reactions. Presently, the vast majority of electricity from nuclear power is produced by nuclear fission of uranium and plutonium in nuclear power plants. Nuclear decay processes are used in niche applications such as radioisotope thermoelectric generators in some space probes such as Voyager 2. Generating electricity from fusion power remains the focus of international research.
Minnewildsota t1_iu8v5kw wrote
SirSassyCat t1_iuc5dxm wrote
Subs are the ones with the nukes. Also, in the event of nuclear war, the surface fleet has probably been attacked too.
TheDurrrmanNeighbor t1_iudcdpw wrote
Purportedly the western states have wanted the relocation of the US capitol. This is perhaps one of the old plans on contingency.
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